How to Have the Most Memorable Vacations, According to Science

We all have vacations that we’d desperately love to relive, and then there are others we’d maybe rather forget (family road trip, anyone?). But, have you ever wondered why details of certain getaways—say, a weekend at the beach over a pricey city tour—stick out in our minds more than others? Well, there’s actually a scientific reason some trips are more memorable than others.

HomeAway and researchers at the University of Texas studied over 700 summer travelers—spanning April to September in 2016—in their Science of Memories Study, examining what makes vacations memorable and the findings may surprise you. First, remember all of those selfies you took? Being snap-happy actually helps you remember a vacation 40 percent more than those who don’t take photos. But, before you go all Kim Kardashian on your next trip, researchers also found that there is a saturation point: Those who spent more than two hours using phones and other devices were 26 percent less likely to remember vacation details.

In that same vein, the study also revealed you should leave your laptop at home. After just one hour of device usage each day, people who worked on vacation were 43 percent more likely to have trouble remembering their trips as opposed to those who worked one hour or less (yet another reason to actually make the most of those vacation days).

So, who should you be taking on your getaway to ensure there will be memories for years to come? According to the research, people who traveled with a mix of family and friends remembered their vacations at least 20 percent better than those who traveled with just family, solely friends, in a couple, or alone.

The findings also show that you should probably opt for a cabin in the woods with your expanded travel posse. People who visited mountains remembered their vacations better than any other destination type by up to 12 percent. Small towns and beaches trail closely after, while cities are, perhaps surprisingly, the least memorable destination.

Interestingly, the one thing that didn’t have any bearing on whether a trip was memorable or not was the cost. The price tag of a vacation had zero effect on its memorability, regardless of whether travelers spent $100 or $5,000.

The takeaway? Grab your selfie stick and head up into the mountains with your mom and besties, and you’ll be sure to make memories that will last a lifetime. Or some really interesting Instagram posts at least.